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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24188353">Working Together</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Friendlylycanthrope/pseuds/Friendlylycanthrope'>Friendlylycanthrope</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Let's Talk About It [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Catra Redemption, F/F, Sick Fic, There is an extremely graphic scene in this in which adora has a nightmare, but it gets dangerously worse, due to her extreme fever, i tried to come up with the most horrifying thing i could and this was it, im sorry, on the bright side catra is in bright moon now, which is why the warning in the rating and tags</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:20:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,703</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24188353</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Friendlylycanthrope/pseuds/Friendlylycanthrope</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Adora gets sick. Running out of options, Glimmer and Bow need to confront their last resort when it comes to finding help. Please read the tag and rating, Adora's brain gives her a horrible, horrific, disturbing nightmare in her fever.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Glimmer/Adora</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Let's Talk About It [12]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1714624</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>134</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Working Together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is mostly tame but there is one scene in particular that is freaky and gross and visceral. If you are squeamish, then skip the two paragraphs that start with "Adora’s mind was erratic and dangerous with fever." you will be in the clear again when you get to the paragraph that starts with "A few hours passed as the day moon rose." Like it is graphically gory.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p><p>
  <span>“Adora, are you alright?” Glimmer asked. She had just turned from She-Ra back to herself, and was panting hard. “Adora?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Huh?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Are you alright?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course, nothing to worry about!” Adora said with a thumbs up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The recon mission had gone downhill. It was supposed to be just the two of them, collecting information on the new camp that was set up with potential to turn into a horde stronghold. But the whole thing was a trap, set to trick and capture rebellion spies, and they ended up having to fight off an armada with little backup. Without She-Ra there, Glimmer wondered if they would have been successful. They were able to deal substantial damage, but had to retreat to safety once they started receiving more damage than they were giving. The camp was now up in flames, and the soldiers were too occupied with evacuation to pursue them into the woods. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adora slumped down against a tree, clutching her side and letting the sword fall to the ground. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just need to catch my breath, that’s all..” She said shakily. Glimmer sat down across from her. She had to agree with that sentiment, her magical powers were also exhausted during the fight and they were now both nursing some minor scratches and bruises they were given. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s getting dark out… maybe we should camp out and then return in the morning. It’s a four hour walk back to Brightmoon. And also: I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>beat</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Glimmer sighed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hopefully we can get some more ground between the camp and us before we rest for the night. Once they get the wreckage under control they might come looking for us again.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glimmer nodded in approval, and put a hand on Adora’s shoulder.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take the first watch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Glimmer was awoken in the early morning not by Adora relieving her watch so they could continue. Well, it was by Adora, but not intentional. She woke up to the sound of Adora retching and heaving into a bush. Alarm flared through her stomach as she sat up and rubbed her eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Adora?” There was no response as Adora continued panting hard to catch her breath. “Adora! What’s going on?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adora grunted and groaned a bit before her voice was clear enough to talk. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure. I woke up earlier with some weird leech on my throat and ever since I’ve been a mess.” She confessed. Glimmer knew it was difficult for Adora to admit to any weakness or accept help, so she tried her best to positively reinforce the honesty by soothing her as Adora looked sheepishly at the ground. “Really not helping with the stab wound either…” She added quietly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You got stabbed?! Adora!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It wasn’t that bad!” Adora defended. She was still clutching her side, and Glimmer’s hands flew to where Adora’s were, and lifted the shirt. “When I get hit as She-Ra, it’s more invulnerable. See? It’s hardly even a flesh wound.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The wound across her side wasn’t as bad as it would have been if she had gotten it as Adora. She-Ra’s skin seemed hyper resilient, almost bullet proof, but she still had her limits. But still, it was clotted with dried blood and Glimmer didn’t like how shiny it looked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Still, it could have gotten infected! Let’s just get back to Brightmoon, get you patched up.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adora transformed the sword of protection into a tall staff, and used it to balance herself. Soon they would be back in Brightmoon and she could let Adora rest while her mom chewed her out for their reckless encounter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They came to the gates sweaty and dirty, clothes torn, and were greeted by Renee. Soon, Glimmer was under the moonstone and Adora was begrudgingly sent to the infirmary that was affixed to the castle. Glimmer, once restored, checked in with Bow and her mother in the war room to explain how their recon went downhill through no fault of their own. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Thankfully we weren’t followed into the woods.” She concluded. “I don’t think they knew it would be me and Adora rather than any old scout, otherwise they would have brought more firepower. We were lucky to make it out as it is.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well I was prepared to punish you for unnecessary engagement since I gave you a safe, non threatening mission and you engaged anyway.” Angella said calmly, though not without disappointment. “But we should have to be more careful with our intel before sending a Commander into the field if it truly was a trap.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Have you received any more info from the scouts in the field?” Glimmer asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Nothing out of the ordinary.” Bow reported. “Although spies say that they suspect Catra is hiding in the whispering woods somewhere, laying low after an incident that got ‘too close for comfort’”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glimmer nodded thoughtfully. It had been over a year since the force captain went rogue. She insisted on having nothing to do with the rebellion, and yet she kept making attacks that weakened the horde. Reports would pop up of a dark hooded feline rescuing people from the line of fire, or pulling them out of a fire in some cases. Adora kept insisting that she was not an evil person. They had yet to discover her base, now that she was on the run from the horde after dishonorable discharge which would have been a public execution if she didn’t make it out in time. The rebellion kept tabs on her movement, but never engaged. If she wasn’t a threat, they would give her space, but they didn’t want to be unprepared if things changed. So, she always existed on their peripheral. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And what about Adora?” Angella asked. Glimmer had to rub her temples. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She got hit as She-Ra, but nothing we haven’t seen before. She’s in the infirmary now--after I had to practically drag her down there. But I’m worried it might be infected since she didn’t say anything and she was sick this morning.” Bow rolled his eyes. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We all know how hard it is to get Adora to take care of her health.” He sighed. “I’m sure we all remember the flu incident…” Everyone at the table shuddered at the memory. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We have to make sure it doesn’t get that bad this time.” Angella said. “Commander Glimmer, I order you to be Adora’s personal detail until she has sufficiently recovered. Make sure she rests and doesn’t try anything reckless.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glimmer saluted, suppressing a grin. Best assignment ever. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Adora squinted doubtfully at Glimmer, standing in the doorway of her room. She looked paler than before, the grey patches under her eyes especially dark.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“When do I ever do anything reckless?” She asked, slightly offended. Glimmer smiled and shrugged. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, refusing to get treated for a stab wound could be considered reckless.” Adora opened her mouth to argue, but Glimmer cut her off: “And don’t try to argue it, I’m here on </span>
  <em>
    <span>official orders</span>
  </em>
  <span> from the Queen.” Adora raised an eyebrow. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Orders from the Queen?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, officially mandated.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Is that so?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You better believe it!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So what would happen if you... Didn’t do that.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well something might happen to you. Then I would be held in contempt for abandoning my post,”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t want that, I suppose.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Of course not.” Adora finally broke down in a light giggle, clutching her stabbed side as she did so. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I still think I’m fine! But if it’s an order from the Queen, then what kind of soldier would be to put a Commander in contempt.” She turned into her room and moved towards the bed. She left the door open, inviting Glimmer in after her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let’s start by taking a look at your wound.” Glimmer said. She had come with a first aid kit handy to change the dressings. Adora stood up and lifted her shirt high enough to see her abdomen, where the wound was. It didn’t require stitches, so the medics simply disinfected and dressed it. There was a small brown stain in the center where some blood had soaked through and dried. Glimmer was moved by the sight, but also slightly distracted by the impeccable abs in front of her. Shaking her head, she set to work removing the bandages and cleaning up the slash before tightly wrapping it again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Permission to speak freely, Commander?” Adora asked, lowering her shirt again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“At ease, soldier.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to nap now.” She pointed at the bed Glimmer was still sitting on. She removed herself and tucked in Adora. “You’re taking your duties very seriously, I see.” Adora commented. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You sleep for now, I’ll get you some soup cooking.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adora closed her eyes and stretched sleepily. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can’t wait…” she mumbled as she nodded off.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Glimmer would return an hour later to awaken Adora with cheddar and cauliflower soup. Adora grumbled, soaked in sweat yet somehow shivering, her hands shaking as she tried to sit up. Her face was pale and her eyes looked more sunken and dark than she had ever seen. Adora felt rattling in her lungs as she breathed in that was audible. Glimmer immediately put the soup down on the side table and went to check over her girlfriend’s worsened state.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Adora, how are you feeling? You look worse.” She felt her forehead for a temperature, she was burning hot, so much that Glimmer had to pull away from the intense heat under her skin. “You’re burning up! Let me see your side.” Adora slowly lifted her shirt again with great effort. She had become comfortable with showing weaknesses to Glimmer, knowing that doing anything else would make things worse. Glimmer made her feel safe, and loved. The princess inspected the wound but it looked just the same as before, naturally healing.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not the slash…” Adora wheezed on a raspy voice. She pointed to the side of her neck. “It’s where the slug was… it’s burning…” Glimmer brought her attention to the site indicated. It looked a little pink, like when anybody peels off a leech, but nothing out of the ordinary. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t make any sense. The leeches in the whispering woods aren’t toxic at all, they cling to people all the time in the summer… Adora, can you stand? We need to get you to the infirmary, your infection might be spreading.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adora stood up, but wobbled back and forth unable to balance. Glimmer pushed her back onto the bed.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Please, no infirm’ry…” Adora pleaded. As safe as she felt with Glimmer, getting Adora to admit herself to any proper medical staff was still a skill they were working on. She never said why, but Glimmer felt like there was something she was scared of. “They do things to you there…” She pleaded in a low whisper. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay new plan: you stay here, I’ll get help. Bow will help me take you down to the infirmary. Or maybe we can get some doctors up here.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adora thought she heard Glimmer giving the instructions but it sounded like she was saying them from underwater, and her mind saw all kinds of things that she couldn’t tell if they were real or not. The fever brought old thoughts and feelings boiling up to the surface of her mind. She couldn’t tell if her eyes were open or not no matter how hard she tried.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Remembering the sound of Lonnie’s voice… back after two weeks. </span>
  <em>
    <span>It was just a cough, why were you gone so long? </span>
  </em>
  <span>She kept asking her teammate. Lonnie shook her head when she finally answered </span>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t remember. But I would rather die than have them peel me open again.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Lik</span>
  <b>e th</b>
  <span>ey repl</span>
  <b>ace</b>
  <span>d all </span>
  <em>
    <span>m</span>
  </em>
  <span>y or</span>
  <em>
    <span>ga</span>
  </em>
  <span>ns. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>W</span>
  <b>e st</b>
  <span>ay hidden, stop shaking, </span>
  <b>s</b>
  <span>to</span>
  <b>p brea</b>
  <span>thing so loud. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Please don’t be Shadow Weaver Please don’t be Shadow Weaver Please don’t be Shadow Weaver. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The cover up is worse than the crime. </span>
  <b>
    <em>Ins </em>
  </b>
  <em>ol</em>
  <b>
    <em>e </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>nt w</em>
  </b>
  <em>h</em>
  <b>
    <em>elp </em>
  </b>
  <b>
    <em>!</em>
  </b>
  
</p><p> </p><p><em><span>Catra, can you do the thing?</span></em> <b><em>Still feel sick?</em></b><em><span> Can you do the rumbles? </span></em><b><em>Yeah… move over.</em></b></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Catra, I’m reaching out to you, please don’t turn away, I can’t do this without you. One hand is still on the sword, she backs away into the smoke as her face darkens. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Catra!</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ple</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>a</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>se don’t be </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Sh </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>adow We </span>
  </em>
  <b>av </b>
  <em>
    <span>er, Please don’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>be </span>
  <em>
    <span>Shadow Weaver, Please don’t </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>all my organs, </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>Shadow Weaver </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>please</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>...pe</span>
  </em>
  <span>el m</span>
  <em>
    <span>e o </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>pe </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>n….Please don’t be shadow weaver.......... Shadow We </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>aver, p </span>
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>l<strong>ea</strong>se….</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>G</span>
  <em>
    <span>ot</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>t</em>
  </b>
  <b>a hi</b>
  <span>de. U</span>
  <em>
    <span>ntil it blow</span>
  </em>
  <span>s</span>
  <b> over. P</b>
  <span>lease d </span>
  <span>on</span>
  <span>’t hurt </span>
  <b>m</b>
  <b>
    <em>e, ple</em>
  </b>
  <b>as</b>
  <span>e… </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Glimmer pushed open the door. The room was totally dark, and had that stale scent of illness through it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Adora? I’m back with Bow. How are you feeling?” She went up to the bed in the dark, knowing the lights might just agitate her state. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s not in bed!” Bow realized the same time she did. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She couldn’t have gotten far on her own. I’ll check the bathroom, you go check the hall.” Glimmer ordered. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Adora you better not do anything stupid!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It only took a few minutes to realize that Adora was gone, intentionally, though how or where nobody knew. Bow was starting to panic. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How long ago were you with her? You may have been the last person to see her alive!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“BOW! Don’t say it like that!” They both released the shirt collar of the other. Bow was biting his nails, Glimmer was pacing. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This is the flu incident all over again!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bow, still not helping!” Glimmer grumbled. “Okay, if we were Adora, where would we go?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, all I know is that she would NOT go to the medical bay.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so what’s the opposite of the infirmary?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, a graveyard?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Bow!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry! I’m panicking!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Augh! I can’t believe I misplaced my girlfriend! Okay, so we don’t know what Adora is thinking. It’s not like we can just read her mind!” They paced around a bit more in Adora’s room, thinking. Glimmer, tired of the darkness, opened the blinds to the bright light. It was midday. She looked across the fields and gardens.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But maybe there is somebody who can...” She said when she saw the stables. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Ever since SwiftWind freed all the horses from the stables, he had started to settle himself in at the Bright Moon stable, a giant space for one with no locks or doors. Glimmer and Bow looked inward at the troughs and hay, no sign of life inside. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh, Swiftwind? Hello?” Glimmer called.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Anybody home?” Bow said after. They were met with a groaning sound of pain. They rushed to the pen it came from and found the pegasus lying in his hay.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Swift wind, we think Adora might be in trouble.” Glimmer said. “You’ve been able to track her down before, right?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Swiftwind raised his head weakly and squinted to discern who he was talking to, inches from Glimmer’s face. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh, Princess!” He said. “Where’s Adora?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s what we’re trying to find out.” Bow said. “Are you okay? You don’t look so good.” The pegasus flopped his head back down in the hay, sending some dust into the air that made him cough. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Auugghh, I feel awful… I was worried it might have something to do with my sacred bond psychic link with Adora, but I can’t focus.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glimmer knelt down next to Swiftwind, and put a hand on his belly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Swifty, you’ve got a fever. Just like Adora did. She’s sick and hurt, we need to find her. Maybe if she feels better, you will too.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Swift wind nickered and flicked his tail. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’m trying but it’s like I can’t get a hold of her. She doesn’t want to be found… Did you know horses can’t throw up?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glimmer winced at the painful thought, remembering how nauseated Adora was at first. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s hard when she doesn’t want to be found.” Swift Wind continued. “But I can tell she’s still in Brightmoon castle. I can’t locate her, but the signal is strong enough that she’s nearby. She hasn’t left.” Bow patted the horse’s head reassuringly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We’ll ask someone to come down and take care of you, buddy. Try to stay hydrated. We’ve got to find Adora.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How are we ever going to find her? It’ll take days to search every hiding place in the castle.” Glimmer lamented. They were going through a courtyard back into the main castle. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“At least we know she’s close and not off in the whispering woods like last time.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But if Swifty is any indication, then she can’t be doing well.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Who’s not doing well?” The two teens jumped when they turned a corner and almost ran into Queen Angella. “I certainly hope this has nothing to do with Adora, this is why I made you her personal detail.” She raised an eyebrow judgmentally. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I just went to get her some soup and she vanished!” Glimmer yelled out, on the verge of tears. “Swiftwind can’t find her and she was really sick when I last saw her, I don’t know what to do!” All her fear of retaliation and punishment was forgotten in her desperation to find the injured warrior. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That is very serious. Nobody has reported seeing her about the castle.” The Queen even forgot her own ideas of punishment in the urgency. “I’ll have the guards check the castle over for her. If Swift Wind cannot find her, then we need to get someone who can find her, who would know what she would do.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But who!” Bow said. “I thought we were best friend squad 5ever but we haven’t been able to find her!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Angella put a hand on Glimmer’s shoulder, and lowered her voice. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s time we make a call to an old friend. We both know who, and where to find her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glimmer thought for a few seconds, then the realization hit her.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <b>***</b>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Glimmer knew it would be more difficult to search the woods than it would be to search the entire castle. She pressed a few sources for intel, but didn’t get anywhere until she went back to Swiftwind. He was reluctant to reveal the location of the hut that the two now stood in front of. It was partially built into the ground, with grasses and vines growing on the roof. It seemed old, like it had been there for decades or more, and yet was full of life. It was just after noon at this point. She had no idea on how to approach… they needed a strategy, or else she might get dodgy and vanish into the woods again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They didn’t have to plan out their strategy, it turned out, because only seconds after they arrived at the hut, the curtain opened, and there she was.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The Wild Cat of the Horde. Disgraced and dishonored, forgoing all civilization in her exile from both the rebellion and the horde--either side would happily see her in a jail cell at best. It had been over a year since she escaped hordak’s wrath, and she learned how petty she was capable of being against Hordak when she started thwarting his plans. After all this time, she looked like a different person, but still the same old Catra. Her face was less tense than it usually was, perhaps because they only really met as enemies on the battlefield. She was well fed but still lithe and slinky as ever, and her fur was groomed across her skin, and brighter than it had been with her improved diet. Without her brows furrowed or her lip curled in a snarl, she actually looked almost beautiful. It was hard to believe that this was the person Adora grew up with, the same eyes that looked on them with pity and hate now widened in surprise at the two unexpected guests. She pulled down the hood of her poncho/cloak as her ears swiveled forward. Glimmer was surprised to see that her hair was cut much shorter. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sparkles, Arrow, how did you find me?” It wasn’t threatening. It was hardly defensive. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We never lost you.” Glimmer said, stepping forward. “We just thought you would do better with more space.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Catra’s tail lashed in suspicion, she was hesitant to trust the two rebels. Her ears pulled back in skepticism. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So why are you here now?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We need your help. Adora is in trouble.” Bow said. Her ears came forward again, her guard lowering.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s hurt and --”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Let me guess, she’s hiding?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glimmer didn’t like being interrupted, but she let it slide. The most important thing right now was to find Adora. She nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Catra looked away for a moment at nothing in particular as she did some calculations in her head. How much was she willing to risk, what would be the consequences. Eventually she pulled back the curtain to the hut again. Glimmer was worried she would abandon them, but she only yelled a message in.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Razz! I’m going out!” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You better come back with goat milk this time!” An older woman’s voice echoed from inside.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Catra sighed in exasperation. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“This doesn’t mean I’m joining sides with you or anything.” She said in total seriousness to the two waiting in front of her again. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Adora shivered, hugging herself for warmth. The fever wouldn’t let her mind rest, and the sweat poured down her back in beads even as her teeth chattered. Her eyelids felt like lead, and no matter how much she breathed, she felt like she wasn’t getting any air. Every now and then, she would experience a memory (or was it a dream?) so vividly she would mumble out something (wait was this real?). The space was tight, and dusty, and that only made the rattling in her chest worse. It reminded her of the service pipes above the corridors in the fright zone (wait was she there now?) where she would hide, or where she would hide Catra, if either of them became sick. Better to suffer it out than experience whatever weird experiments they did at the medical bay. Maybe it was even better to die than to go to the medical bay, according to some cadets and senior officers who had experienced it. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She couldn’t tell what time of day it was (how long had she been here?). She hadn’t had anything to eat or drink in some time, but she didn’t want to at the moment. Her throat felt like she had swallowed powdered glass and her stomach was doing flips. Food was the last thing on her mind. Her skin felt like sandpaper, and all her joints ached heavily. She shivered again, uncontrollably seizing up, as the panic of her fevered mind took over her senses again. For hours now she couldn’t tell if it was real, if she was real, or if she was in a nightmare, or perhaps it was her imagination. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span><strong>Ple</strong>ase don’t be Shadow Weav</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>er..</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She would think dreadfully if she heard any no </span>
  <span>ise</span>
  <span> near her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ca</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>tr</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>a, d</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>o</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> the rumb les?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Soon she wa s so weak and fatigued </span>
  <em>
    <span>she co</span>
  </em>
  <span>uldn’t even shiver, --(<em>Ca tra? Is s he he<strike>re?</strike> I h<strong>e</strong>ar her,,,) -</em>-as her mus cles gav e out li mply. It wa s d ark : Sha do,w Weaver... Sh<em>e wa</em>s tr/ying to ge t her, S<strong> h<em>:a</em>d</strong>ow Weaver was co<strong>m</strong>;;ing, sh e  <em>had t o</em> ge t  <em><strong>a</strong> w</em>a <strong>y</strong>, </span>
</p><p> </p><p><span>Adora… hur</span><b>r y! “&amp;” “</b><b><em>I’m sor</em></b><em><span>ry--</span></em> <em><span>AAA</span></em></p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don ‘t g</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>o</em>
  </b>
</p><p>
  <span>W</span>
  <b>ait, </b>
  <b>
    <em>w</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>ha</span>
  </em>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>   ,,,      S</span>
  <b>um’s…</b>
  <span>.. W</span>
  <em>
    <span>ro</span>
  </em>
  <span>n g. </span>
</p><p><span>/</span><b>/ Ca</b><span>tr-------- </span><span>gasp</span><span> no! </span> <span>S</span><b>ha do w</b><span> w We</span><em><span>a, w</span></em><span>e, we , ,, w e</span></p><p>
  <em>
    <span>help!</span>
  </em>
</p><p><span>:</span> <span>~/// </span></p><p><span>     I’ m </span><b><em>sorr y,</em></b><span>,</span> <span>NO</span><b>!”</b> <b>Nn</b><span>nnn</span><b>nnnnn</b><span>ngg</span><b>gg</b><span>h</span><b>h     /</b><b><em>///</em></b><span>/</span></p><p>
  <span>Wha-------,,,,</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>P</span>
  <em>
    <span>le</span>
  </em>
  <span>a     s         e,      </span>
</p><p>
  <span>H-hh,</span>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>  A</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>AAAAAA</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>!!!</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>          Iii,,,</span>
</p><p>
  <b>el,</b>
</p><p> </p><p><span>H---</span> <span>I,</span></p><p>
  
  <span>  &amp;///</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>p</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is where we last saw her… she could barely stand upright. I was only gone for a few minutes.” Glimmer explained, pushing open Adora’s room. They were again hit with the stale, rotten smell of illness and decay that had been marinating in the room. Catra recoiled harder than the others, her feline senses picking up all too much of that fevered odor. She only rubbed her nose and moved forward, trying to concentrate her sense of smell on very specific, familiar whiffs within the stink.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So she was in bed?” Catra asked, observing the scene like she was at the scene of a crime. “And we know she didn’t go for the obvious exit, cause you would have found her in the hall.” She continued. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There’s only one door?” Glimmer pointed out, confused. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I said exit, not door.” Catra said, turning around. She pointed at the huge bay windows that lead to a balcony. “She knew you were in that direction so she moves opposite, desperate like a caged animal.” They all went to the window. It was unlocked, but shut. Catra pushed her way out onto the balcony.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Then what happened?” Bow asked, totally enraptured. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I go up.” Catra explained, looking up. “But not Adora, she wasn’t as good of a climber. She goes down.” They peered over the edge of the balcony, another one exactly the same under it. “It takes less energy to go down than up.” Catra pointed out. She was already swinging her thin body over the railing and acrobatically landing on the balcony underneath. Glimmer teleported down, with Bow at her side. They inspected the window on this level: the lock was knocked clean off, as though somebody pushed in from the outside. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You guys really gotta beef up your security..” Catra mumbled as she pushed into the room as well. It was another guest room, one that has been of disuse for at least a decade. All the furniture was covered in white sheets, but a thick layer of dust was still visible on them. Catra could just barely make out sloppy, slurred footsteps going around the room in the dust. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so now she’s out of the way of where people would find her. So her next priority is to hide somewhere. Preferably somewhere she can steal supplies, but I doubt she had the energy. She would use this room; it’s nearby and not in use, so nobody will suspect her of being in here.” Catra explained, bending over to sniff the tracks in the dust. “The doorknob to the main hall is still locked and dusty. She’s in here somewhere.” Catra concluded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bow and Glimmer set about uncovering all the furniture, peering under it for their friend. Catra paced, looking around, still thinking out loud. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What would Adora do? As if I didn’t hide that muscled blonde idiot in the ceiling every time a cold went around.” She mumbled. “What would she do next? She would think ‘What would Catra do’ And </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span>… would go up. Nobody ever looks up.” She climbed a support beam, her tail swinging for balance as she started prowling the wide rafters. “Because I’m the smart one.” Her eyes rested on Adora. “Over here!” She called out. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adora has wedged herself in a storage space hideaway between the rafters, her hips barely fitting between the narrow beams that hold up the roof. She was soaked in sweat, her hair a mess, and she still looked a pale gray. Catra hardly reacted to the shimmer of magic behind her when Glimmer teleported up, while she busied herself with checking Adora’s condition. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Bow, get the medics!” Glimmer called down. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She’s hardly breathing, dehydrated, and burning up.” Catra pointed out. Her military edge gave her no time to mourn the sorry site in front of her, after all, she was only here to get Adora back on track. “Adora, can you hear me? Wake up, Adora.” She lightly tapped Adora’s cheek like she was trying to rudely wake her up, but Adora didn’t react to the touch at all. Glimmer, on the other hand, was on the verge of tears at the ghastly site before them. She didn’t even realize Catra had just asked her a question. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I said, can you teleport her down?” Glimmer processed for a second, then nodded. She took Adora’s arm--not much of her was easy to reach-- and willed her magic to move the two of them down to the ground in the same room.</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can tell you this: it isn’t her stab wound.” The doctor explained. Glimmer, Bow, Angella, and Catra all stood around Adora’s infirmary bed. It was near day moonset by now. “The wound wasn’t infected. Whatever this is, it’s some sort of virus. I’ve never heard of anything like this.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So you don’t know how to treat her?” Angella asked. “She’s getting worse by the minute!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We can treat the symptoms, but it will just come back again. I’ve ordered an ice bath for her fever. We will need to readminister it every few hours if her temperature keeps rising like this.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glimmer looked down at Adora’s chapped, cracked lips. Tears ran down her cheeks. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“If it isn’t the wound, then how did she get a virus so strong?” Bow squeaked anxiously. “Is it contagious?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It might be a species thing.” The doctor guessed. “If it was, more people would be sick by now.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We still hardly know anything about the first ones” Angella lamented. The doctor gave an incredulous look at her. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Holy shit, a real first one?</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“But somebody does.” Glimmer spoke up. The room looks to her, clutching Adora’s cold, twitching hand. “Light Hope is the only one who might know what’s happening. Adora said once that she was designed to help the She-Ra with her destiny. If anyone knows anything about the first ones, it’s gotta be her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So how do we find this Light Hope?” Catra asked. “I’ll go drag her here myself if I have to.” Bow shook his head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“She can’t leave the crystal temple. And it goes into lockdown if any outsiders go in. The only ones who can go there are Adora and Swift Wind.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Maybe if we treat Adora here, Swiftwind can make the trip to Light Hope.” Glimmer pointed out. She looked back at Adora. The veins behind her face were starting to become more visible, and dark black. She was covered in a blanket of sweat across her skin, and her breathing came hard. “It’s our only shot.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bow and Angella went to go check on Swiftwind. Glimmer and Catra were left alone to watch over Adora. There was a long pause of silence between them as they sat on either side of the bed anxiously. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Um, thanks.” Glimmer finally broke the ice. “For helping us find her.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Catra didn’t respond. She didn’t need to. Just nodded in understanding. Another long pause filled the air. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>This was the first time they had seen each other in a long time, probably not since she was still with the horde. The last time they shared more than five words was the jungle, nearly three years ago. A year and a half of scheming with Adora, then a year and a half in the woods. Was there such a thing as a proper way to address someone after a break like that? </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“After all this time she’s spent with us, she still doesn’t trust us…” Glimmer tried again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“It’s not you.” Catra said cooly. She sighed and Glimmer wasn’t sure if she was going to say more or not. But she did, hesitantly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Back in the Fright Zone...the infirmary was feared more than death. The doctors there were more… experimental. And if a cadet got sick or hurt, they were just an expendable test subject. Then they could try all kinds of dangerous experimental methods. Spoiler, none of them worked.” She shook her head and looked out the window. “Thank Hordak we never ended up there… most didn’t make it back alive. Those that did were… different.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glimmer felt genuine hurt like a wound grow in her chest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“That’s …. Awful.” She whispered. Catra nodded. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Ever since we could talk, we learned how to hide any illness or injury, damn the consequences. Sometimes someone would disappear for a few days, and you would worry if the med bay got them, if you would see them again. But then they would show up a few days later, after hiding from everyone for weeks. They were the lucky ones.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Glimmer processed the information for a moment.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“And Adora never figured out that they were evil?!” At that, Catra actually cracked a smile. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Never said she was smart.” She chuckled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A nurse entered and told them that the ice bath was ready. Catra carried Adora to another room bridal style, careful to disturb her as little as possible, where Catra and Glimmer helped strip all but her undergarments from her unconscious body before lowering her into the ice filled water. They could feel her body tense up in intense pain in reaction to the water, as the sweat poured from her forehead anew. Glimmer tried holding her in place by wrapping her arms under Adora’s from behind, to keep her head from slipping below water. Her arms were becoming freezing and numb, but she insisted that it was alright. Catra and Adora had been through enough suffering, and if she needs to undergo a little cold to help ease that, then damn the rest. Catra didn’t stop looking between Adora and the exits, ears following every person she could hear outside, all while her eyebrows came together in tight concern. She tried to alleviate Glimmer, but she refused. They waited until almost all the ice was melted, when Adora started feeling cooler, to remove her.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They took turns watching her while the other slept upright in a nearby chair. At one point Glimmer woke up to a vibrating sound. Confused, she searched the dark for the source, and found it was coming from Adora’s bed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Catra was resting next to her in bed, with her head resting on Adora’s stomach, purring evenly. She noticed that she was being watched and stopped bashfully. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Uh, back in the barracks, when she wasn’t feeling well. She would ask me to rumble. She said it made her feel better. I think it’s just a placebo from the comfort, but I thought…”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Oh my gosh, you pur?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What? No. What is that? It’s my… rumbles. Only Adora knows about it.” Glimmer smiled, realizing that those in the horde didn’t have a word for purring, and they went through life with Catra not knowing that these sounds were purring. But Glimmer wasn’t about to tell her. It was too damn sweet. Their own thing, a routine in a place of comfort, a comfort that could help Adora. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well keep going. It might help soothe her.” She said. “I won’t tell anyone.” </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adora’s mind was erratic and dangerous with fever. She lived old memories, experienced deepest fears, imagined new situations that echoed her insecurities that she thought were real. She was forgetful, moving from one horror to the next. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She saw Hordak towering over her, made of concrete and steel. He reached a clawed hand down to her, then it disappeared into her mouth. His arm vanished as she choked and she could feel the pain of it, knowing it was real. The width of his mechanical body was too much for her to withstand, and she could feel her jaw breaking from the pressure. The metal and wires of his body caught on her teeth in the most vicious sound like nails on a chalkboard, her throat flexed uselessly around the foreign object that tore her innards and entrails into bloody gashes. His arm shoved down her throat until it rested at her stomach. The whole time she cried in horror, choking, as he glared into her eyes. She couldn’t move, she was frozen in place. He growled as his fist clenched, clawing at her organs, and he tried to rip his hand out of her, and he started turning her inside out. She could feel it all peeling and ripping away, feel the pain, couldn’t bring in air, and sobbed helplessly as she was turned inside out by Hordak, glowering at her, maintaining eye contact as they both became covered in bl</span>
  <b>oo</b>
  <span> d and gore. She </span>
  <b>cou l</b>
  <span>dn’t breath. S he</span>
  <b> c</b>
  <span>ouldn’t b r</span>
  <em>
    <span>eat</span>
  </em>
  <span>h. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>coul</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>d n</em>
  </b>
  <b>’t--------</b>
  <span>-----------</span>
</p><p>.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.<br/><br/><br/><br/></p><p> </p><p>
  <span>A few hours passed as the day moon rose. Adora  didn’t improve. They were both awake, and Catra was checking the stab on her side when suddenly Adora started gasping uncontrollably as though she was drowning, her body going tense suddenly as she struggled to breathe in. Panic set through them both immediately. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Adora? Adora! Can you hear me, please wake up!” Glimmer cried, but despite her great effort in breathing, Adora was still totally unconscious. Adora wheezed inward violently, as though inhaling were impossible. Catra quickly put an ear to her chest as Adora continued to gasp wheeze as though there was no air in the room.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Just breathe, idiot!” Catra yelled. She tried to remember her training, first aid on the field, the class she sat through years ago. She always used to cheat off Adora when she could. Thinking quickly, she tilted Adora’s head back and pulled her chin down, and pinched her nose. Adora’s jaw was clamped shut tight, her whole body was so tense it was shaking, unable to relax as she searched for air. Catra took a breath, and pushed her mouth against the warrior’s, in a wide sloppy effect, and forced air from herself to the other. Glimmer was dumbstruck. She inhaled and repeated it again, and then a third time. She broke away breathlessly, only to put her ear to Adora’s chest again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adora settled down somewhat. Her breath comes in grating rasps, but not as desperately. They could still hear her wheezing dryly. She gasped in every breath, but lightly.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What, they don’t teach you CPR in Princess school?” Catra said, now short of breath herself. Glimmer found that her jaw was hanging open, tears running down her cheeks. But she could hardly respond, as at that moment Bow crashed into the room. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How is she doing?” He asked. With one look at Adora, he went pale with fright. “She’s getting worse isn’t she?” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What happened with Swift wind?” Glimmer prompted. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I was able to help him through the woods to the temple. He was there for a while, and he came back with instructions from Light Hope.” He paused to gulp and catch his breath, but only briefly. “It has to do with that leech you mentioned. It was highly toxic to the first ones, but fine to all the other inhabitants of Etheria.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“So is there a treatment?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Apparently the First Ones brought snakes with them from their planet to control the leech population, and keep themselves safe. If we can find one, we might be able to cure the poison. But it </span>
  <em>
    <span>has</span>
  </em>
  <span> to be alive.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Catra stood up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“What kind of snake, I’ll get it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Bow described the specimen, and Catra left to hunt down the serpent in the woods. </span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Angella came to visit Adora. Bow and Glimmer were both there waiting for Catra to return. The worry was clearly written across her face. She said nothing at first, and went to take Adora’s hand. Adora still wheezed for breath, making rattling sounds in her chest as she heaved searching for air. She was pale as a ghost, with sunken cheeks and messy hair. She stayed in a state between tense and weak, where she was tense and taught as a string, while also shaking and shivering. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“I’ll have to inform the alliance of our setback.” Angella eventually said, her voice only cracking once under the pressure of her emotion. “The others should know what’s going on with She-Ra. It may affect our missions.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Mom, it’s okay…” Glimmer said. It was all she needed to say, for Angella to kneel down by the bed as her eyes sprung fresh tears, she gripped Adora’s hand tightly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“After everything she’s been through….” She cried. Her mind raced along with her heart. She had tried so hard for so long to make Adora feel at home here, to let her be comfortable and safe after the lifetime of torment she had endured. She swore to protect Adora from ever enduring hardship as much as she could, wanting to protect the scared child that she was underneath the stern facade of a soldier. She thought of Adora as one of her own, and thought she could protect her. But here she was, still suffering, and she felt helpless.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Catra will come back with a snake soon.” Bow tried to comfort the Queen. She looked across the bed at her daughter, exhausted with worry. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Can you trust her? Catra?” Glimmer hesitated. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Adora would trust her. Which means I do too.” She said. “She’s already saved Adora’s life just by coming to Brightmoon.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At that moment, Catra appeared in the door. Holding a canvas sack that was squirming and hissing. She held it up triumphantly. Leave it to a cat to hunt a snake.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Snake is gotten, what’s next pretty boy.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Pretty?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Don’t read too much into it.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We need to wait for it to shed its skin. Then grind up the skin, and spread the paste on her tongue.” Bow explained. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Gross.” Catra said, curling her nose. “Somebody get a cage for this thing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Adora came to her senses slowly, painfully. She was aware that her skin and joints all ached tremendously, and that it was worse to move them. Then she became aware that she had a pounding headache, and had a viciously bitter and dry taste in her mouth. Her skin burned as though on fire, and her bones felt like they had been ground up into dust, her blood was boiling as her teeth clenched tight against the onslaught of pain coming to her. She inhaled, and tried opening her eyes. She was lying down somewhere, but she didn’t know where, it was dark. Then she was aware of the rumbling at her side.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>She looked around, not knowing it was possible to feel such pain and stiffness behind her eyeballs, the simple motion of turning her head causing agony to rise up like the tide enough to almost make her pass out. She found Catra curled up next to her. Her vision was dark and spotted, and the pain made it impossible to concentrate, but she knew it was Catra from the rumbles. She reached up weakly and felt her wild mane of hair. She tried hard to smile.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Rumbles.” She croaked softly. Catra’s ear turned, followed by her lifting her whole head.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Adora?” She sounded almost like she didn’t believe it. Adora just blinked. How could blinking ache so bad? Catra lifted up more, and then there was another sound in the room, and Glimmer was standing next to the bed. She lit up the room with a cloud of sparkles that she sustained over the bed. Adora smiled to see her. Even her presence and softness seemed to take the edge off the harsh sharpness of her pain. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You’re awake!” She gasped. She quickly started fumbling, “Here, drink this!”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adora shakily took shallow sips of water over her destroyed throat. It was a relief, but also a pain. She lacked the strength to hold up the glass, so Glimmer helped her. Adora would have felt bad over not being able to do such a small thing, but she was too distracted by soreness, the lingering fever, and the sweet relief of cool water at her lips. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“How do you feel?” Catra asked. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adora grimaced in pain.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Sore…” She said a bit easier with her mouth now wet. Yet she couldn’t get rid of that awful taste over her tongue. “How long. was I out?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Two days.” Catra answered, sitting up fully. “You had us scared.” Adora seemed to realize that Catra was here, as in Catra was </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Catra, you’re. Here?” She asked sleepily. She couldn’t remember the name of where she was. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well clearly somebody needs to keep you off your bullshit.” Catra scoffed, showing her sarcastic side for the first time in days. That’s how they knew that she was back to herself and not worried anymore. “But don’t expect me to enlist in the rebellion. I’m just sticking around to make sure you don’t do anything stupid.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adora tried to smile again.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“You always were th’ smart one.” She said groggily. Glimmer rested her hand on Adora’s cheek.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Your fever is down… try to get some sleep. When you wake up we’ll see if you can eat something.” Glimmer soothed. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Adora didn’t have the strength to argue. She wanted nothing more than sleep. She rested her head down again, and closed her eyes, and instantly fell asleep. Catra and Glimmer got up to go tell the others about the recovery. In the hallway, Glimmer stopped, causing Catra to look back. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Did you mean what you said? That you’ll stay?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Catra shifted her weight between her feet and swung her tail around to appear more alloof than she felt.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Well maybe you guys need some help dealing with horde types… Somebody has to know how to handle her.” Glimmer smiled. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“We could probably use the help.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“There’s just one thing.” Catra stepped closer to Glimmer, until they were just inches apart. “I need to bring goat milk to an old lady in the woods first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Bonus: They did keep the snake as a pet nearby in the castle just in case he was ever needed again. Adora named him, much to everyone’s distaste, Doctor Bitterflakes. After all, she insisted, he is kind of a doctor for curing her. And bitter flakes described how he had cured her. He lives in a tank happily napping his days away in the corner of Adora’s room.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If I ever have to hurt someone, I hurt Adora, cause I know she can take a hit. Also, healing powers wouldn't work if she can't stay conscious enough to heal herself. </p><p>Anyway. Sorry I couldn't post yesterday, my SO and I had a hell of a day that lead to us walking all over the city to try and get tested for covid today. So, its been busy. In exchange for the late update, take this longer piece that I was planning on splitting into chapters. On the bright side, we will be quarantined a while, so it should be good for future updates (allegedly).</p></blockquote></div></div>
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